Regulatory Advice

Legislation dictates the market viability of a product right from the start of the development process. Regulations define what ingredients may be used and at what levels, as well as the artwork layout, nutritional claims and branding used – whether this is printed on a label or through digital channels such as eCommerce.

Adding to this complexity is the lack of harmonised law globally; every country, territory and jurisdiction is governed by unique legislation that changes often and is difficult to find, let alone navigate.

At Ashbury, managing the dynamic and extensive nature of these regulations is what our experts do best.  We have decades of experience navigating the sources of legislation and have put this into practice across multiple product categories, countries and scenarios.

We advise on

Working with food products, pet food, cosmetics, hygiene and cleaning products we can advise on:

General and specific labelling requirements – Marketing, nutrition, and health claims – Compositional standards – Rules around fortified food, food supplements, food for specific groups – Novel foods – Genetically modified foods – Organic foods – Food additives, flavourings, enzymes, processing aids – Micro criteria, contaminants, pesticides, veterinary residues – Authorities and enforcement – Notification and registration procedures

In our partnership we provide a breadth of knowledge, improved speed to market and leave you with complete confidence in the compliance of your products, so you can go to market responsibly.

Not sure where to start or feeling confused by a certain piece of legislation? Get in touch and we’ll figure out what you need to keep moving.

Risk-based approach

Every product is unique. We analyse risk and consider your commercial positioning to provide you (where possible) with options so you can decide what works best for your product and brand within the lines of the law.

Our technologists and regulatory experts provide advice for food and non-food products on any topic relating to domestic or international product labelling information.

We work collaboratively with your team (technologists, marketing, graphic designers) to provide guidance which starts in the ideation and formulation phase, through to export-ready labels.

In Practice

The definition of chocolate is a simple example that can put into perspective the complexities of regulatory compliance:

You may be planning the launch of a new low-sugar or vegan chocolate product. Each jurisdiction defines ‘chocolate’ differently – some may not accept ’chocolate’ as a description unless composition requirements regarding milk, sugar and cocoa content are satisfied. Before you spend time and money developing a product that can only be sold in a small fraction of your target markets, Ashbury can clarify the situation in each of the countries you hope to sell in. This way you can kick off your NPD process with confidence and avoid running into issues when authorities object to your labelling.